Rice with eggplant (Vangi bhath)

Vangi-eggplant, bhath-rice is probably one of the most popular rice items in Maharashtra and few places in Karnataka and Andhra. I say few places because it is not very common at my native (which is in Karnataka) but I have seen this a lot in Bangalore. I have seen most of my Andhra friends preparing this dish, so I guess it is popular there also. But the Marathi name suggests it might be originally from Maharashtra.

Everybody has their own spice mixture for this dish. I always used the store bought “Vangi bhath masala” and prepared this. But when I tasted my friend Poornima‘s Vangi bhath, I just loved it (considering I am not a big fan of eggplants). Few days back I asked her for the recipe along with the “Vangi bhath masala” and prepared it. Now I prepare it once in a week for lunch. I have prepared a big batch of masala and making the vangi bhath with ready masala takes hardly 15-20mins. I have become a huge fan of this dish now.

Roast all the spices (except chilies and cloves) one by one on a very low flame till they leave a nice aroma.
Heat oil and fry the cloves. Take out and in the same vessel, fry the chilies a bit. Powder them all. Store in an air tight container.

PS: According to the original recipe given by Poornima, the masala includes “Moggu” – which looks similar to cloves but slightly bigger than that. I tried searching for it in the Indian store, but could not find it. I don’t even know the English name of this spice, so I replaced it with cloves.
She uses different kinds of chilies, some for the color and some for the spicy taste. I had only Byadagi chilies (a variety available in Karnataka). So I just tried with these chillies. You can increase or decrease the amount after trying the vangi bhath yourself.

I have cut the eggplants into small thin pieces to suit my taste (this is what I understood from the description given by my friend).
Be careful about the Lemon juice – tamarind. Since both are souring agents, use them carefully.

Method:
Cook the rice and keep aside. Take care not to over cook the rice, otherwise it gets mashed after mixing with the spices.
Cut the eggplants into desired shapes. Keep the pieces in water. Before using, discard the water.

Usha

Hey Shilpa, do you read minds ? 🙂
Today I made stuffed brinjal(enagayi).And saved few brinjals to make vaangi bhath.I will be using the readymade powder.But will follow the rest as per your recipe this time.Thanks for posting it.

Aruna

Shilpa….I always prepared Vangi Bhath using the MTR powder. I had three packets of the same when i came from India and distributed the same to neighbour Indians as my Vangi bath was never upto the mark. But abt 2 months ago, i somehow got it right for the first time (exactly as you mentioned) and followed the same method regularly. Now i prepare it at least once in a week. Easy to make right. I sometimes use the excess left over rice. Thanks for sharing the recipe and a big thanks on how to make the powder.

as usual,i missed three of ur previous posts and here i am..i just loved ur jackfruit leaves idlis and burfi. vangi bath is a real comfort food that u can make in a hurry if u have a good quality masala in hand.thanks for all that lovely recipes shilpa..sorry for puting all comments together.

radha

Can I try with other variety of brinjal instead of the long one? I referred many sites, everywhere it is mentioned to use the long one. Pl guide
Shilpa: Yes Radha. You can use any. I have tried this with other kinds of brinjals too, it tastes great. You can even make it with capsicum(instead of brinjal), it wont be called vangi bhath then but tastes great.

Pooja

Hey Shilpa stumbled across your site while searching a recipe for vangi bhat. I am going to try your recipe and would like to link your post in my blog. Hope that is okay. let me know if you feel otherwise. Thanks for sharing the recipe
-Aparna

Vathula

Marathi Moggu in English is: Kapok Buds. In Hindi, it is called: Shalmali, Semul and in Marathi: Saanvari, Saura.
Sometimes called Caper Buds (I am not sure if I spelt it right)
This particular spice enhances the taste and it is definitely different from cloves. Try it out.

Shankari, Star anise is different, though its from the same family of plant – “Magnoliophyta”.

suchitha

none

Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I am gujarati, but spent some time in Banaglore,and have aquired test for south indian food. I made vangi bhat from your recipe this evening and it turned out just the way I remembered. My husband loved it to. Thank You again for sharing it.

Vandana

The recipe sounds good you have given forVangi Bhath.. Try a variation I have tried and all my friends and family love and appreciate it.
If you do not have Vangi bhath powder, use your sambhar powder with 1-2tspn of coriander powder.
Another variation includes Add capsicum after you half cook brinjals.
My way is I completely cook the brinjals and capsicum in like coarse paste kind and add dry cocunut powder instead of fresh almost at the end of simmering.
Rest of the recipe is quite similar to what you said.
All try it and let know your comments

Kamini Rajesh

You have given a beautiful recipe for Vangi bath.But you have not given the recipe for vangi bath masala which has to be added after the eggplants have been cooked.please give that recipe also which will be more useful to readers.

Shilpa: Please read the post properly. I have posted the recipe for masala also.

Gauri suryawanshi

the recipe is really good. i tried it by frying washed and soaked rice along with eggplant,it came out nice.It also can be tried by mixing prepared masala with fresh coconut,tamarind pulp and salt and stuffed it in the small round eggplants and then cooked.
thank you.

sowmya

shilpa realy all your recipies are very good.i usually prepare vangibath in other way without onions and green chillies and i add dry coconut in vangibath powder with other ingredients.i tried this recipe it is very tasty.thank you.

laxmi shenoy

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Hey, Nice to meet you!
I'm Shilpa : a foodie and a food blogger, a Software Engineer, a mom of two young kids. We live in Kansas, USA, born and brought up in India. Love gardening, knitting and crocheting, art and crafts. This blog is to preserve my Aayi's (Varada, my mom who also blogs here) Recipes and cooking methods as well share my adventures with cooking. Learn more